Thousands protest in Jaca over Aragon wildfire management after Riglos blaze

Mass demonstration in Jaca

Around 6,000 demonstrators marched through Jaca on 23 August 2026 to demand increased wildfire prevention resources and political accountability across Aragon. Organizers from the Movimiento por la Dignidad de la Montaña and Plataforma Pirineo Digno led the procession, which departed from Plaza Biscós shortly after 12:00 and concluded at the same square after traversing the city. The gathering brought together residents displaced by recent blazes, active forest firefighters, and citizens from affected areas including Las Peñas de Riglos, Cinco Villas, Leciñena, and Teruel. During the gathering, attendees observed a minute of silence for a Military Emergency Unit (UME) firefighter killed while operating at the Riglos fire and a second firefighter who died in a workshop blaze in Calatorao. Banners displayed during the march declared "Aragon Burns, DGA Responsible" and "For the dignity of the mountain, of our villages and of forest firefighters."

Fire destruction and administrative liability

The mobilization followed the Las Peñas de Riglos fire, which burned over 14,500 hectares, forced the evacuation of 19 villages, and became the largest recorded blaze in the history of Aragon. Overall, wildfires burned more than 44,000 hectares across the autonomous community during the summer of 2026. Preliminary investigations determined that the Riglos fire began from sparks generated by roadwork machinery operating along highway A-132. Residents from municipalities along the route criticized authorities for an absence of safety oversight and maintaining construction activity despite fire risks. Platform spokesperson Izarbe Usieto stated that while courts will establish direct liability for the ignition, administrative bodies remain culpable for years of underinvestment in prevention.

We are one of the territories with the largest forest area, yet continuous cuts have been made in forest management.

Firefighter strike and staffing demands

Protesters voiced explicit support for Aragonese forest firefighters, who have been on an indefinite strike since 18 July 2026. Union representatives and workers demanded significant increases in personnel rosters, updated 21st-century equipment, and an end to precarious working conditions under public company Sarga. Firefighters and platform representatives repeated the maxim that wildfires are fought in winter through year-round clearing rather than reactive summer deployment. Ángel Reyes, spokesperson for Pirineo Digno, insisted that regional authorities reinforce field crews to maintain mountain areas continuously. Yasmina Redondo, an operator with the INFOAR wildfire response system, described the sustained structural pressure on response teams:

For more than ten years we have been reporting that there are many fires that will exceed our extinction capacity.

Demonstrators demanded the formal resignations of Aragon Regional President Jorge Azcón of the Partido Popular, Vice President Alejandro Nolasco of Vox, and government director Luis Biendicho.

Rural depopulation and tourism opposition

Beyond immediate firefighting resources, assembly participants attributed the scale of seasonal fires to prolonged rural abandonment, depopulation, and the retreat of extensive livestock grazing. Representatives from villages such as Embún argued that neglected brush build-up creates excessive fuel loads when combined with higher temperatures. Marchers also rallied against regional tourism development strategies under the slogan "The Pyrenees are not for sale." Specifically, the platform rejected linking the Astún and Formigal ski stations through Canal Roya, building the Benasque to Cerler cable car, and constructing a mountain slide in Panticosa. Protesters demanded that public budgets fund territorial stewardship and rural health rather than commercial mountain expansions.